College is much easier. It's essentially school, which you've had 12 years experience doing. You have the same routine: start school in September, cram, mid-terms, cram some more, exams, break, start again in January, cram, mid-terms, cram some more, exams, long break; rinse and repeat for 4 years or 7/8 if you go onto graduate school. This situation for MANY (not all) people is very comfortable. Those who live at home or off parents don't have anything to worry about, there isn't much responsibility. Worst case scenario, you flunk out and get a second chance after a year long break.
I am about 2 months away from finishing college and starting "real life", and I'm already going "wtf". I don't have any jobs lined up (haven't even looked yet), not sure which field I want to get into for my field, conflicted as to where I will work, going to pay for crap and where I want to end up. Once I do get a job, stuff I do will also start to matter.